The Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced during this week the first operational kills using the F-35 fighter (I). According to information from the IAF on a social network, the 5th generation fighters shot down two Iranian drones that had the territory of Israel as their destination.
This marks the first time that an F-35 has been known to destroy an air target operated by any nation. The operation took place in March last year, but the images were only released now.
Making History:
Last year, Israeli “Adir” (F-35I) fighter jets successfully intercepted two Iranian UAVs launched towards Israeli territory. pic.twitter.com/FQsEjKzxct
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 7, 2022
With the first intercept of a Shahed-197 unmanned drone (UAV), the IAF reported that the operation had the collaboration and coordination of neighboring countries, suggesting that the drones were launched from Iraq or Syria by Iranian forces.
Also according to an IAF report released by Portal The Drive, a third drone of the same model was also shot down, but by an electronic warfare system.
Equipped with firearms, the IAF does not rule out the possibility that the drones were sent to Palestine at the request of Hamas, a group that has strong ties with Iran.
Despite describing it as the Shahed-197, experts in the field of military aviation indicate that the unmanned war drone is part of the Shahed-161 family, with similar capabilities to the US Sentinel RQ-170, which has even been used to the Ukrainians in the war against Russia.
With information: The Drive
